


Touch

by Thunderrrstruck



Series: Marvellous Daemons [3]
Category: His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman, Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Daemons, Angst, Daemons, Emotional Hurt, Gen, Non Consensual Daemon Touching, Origins of Trust Issues, Tony Stark Has Trust Issues, Trust Issues, attempted comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-21
Updated: 2020-04-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:02:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23775040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thunderrrstruck/pseuds/Thunderrrstruck
Summary: You're not supposed to touch another person's daemon. [Set December 28, 1991.]
Relationships: Obadiah Stane & Tony Stark, Tony Stark & Original Daemon Character(s)
Series: Marvellous Daemons [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1708606
Kudos: 19





	Touch

**Author's Note:**

> Obie's a creep. Daemon touching is a no-no. What if Tony's trust issues could be tied to a specific bad decision?
> 
> (Written as a pre-cursor to the scene in Iron Man 1 where Obadiah takes Tony's arch reactor.)

The bed heaves with Obie's weight as he perches himself on the edge of the bed. His jackal daemon sits a foot away on the rug, black eyes beady and bearing holes into Tony's psyche. Obie places a hand on Tony's knee; he may be nice and as supportive as a father should be, but his daemon unsettles his godson.

"Tony," Obie begins. "Where to start."

Ferrilia sits on Tony's shoulder and nuzzles into his neck. Although grateful to feel her, he doesn't show how much the brushing of her feathers against his skin comforts him.

"You could start with telling me what's going to happen, now."

It's with a glint in his eye that he smiles. Tony takes it as a sign of being personal, of being a father figure where the boy would have otherwise lacked one.

"If only I could," he starts. His hand is still on Tony's knee, and he feels the urge to lean away. Instead, he lets the man continue to hold him. _He deserves to_ , Tony thinks, _for being there all my life_.

The way Obie's eyes continue to ponder Tony's face, the more he believes that this man is telepathic of sorts. He's reading his mind right now. Tony stares right back, not making a move. It's Obie's turn.

"Things with the company are in turmoil," he says carefully. That's one thing Tony doesn't like; like nearly all they adults in his life, everyone picks and chooses their words around him. _You're too young right now_ , they say underneath it all. _The grown-ups are talking_. His mom did that. His dad did that, unless he was in the lab, whacking down Tony's ego with sharp criticism not suitable for impressionable children and teens. Obie did it all the time, keeping his grown-up secrets like Tony couldn't handle it. (Only Aunt Peg treats him like the twenty-one-year-old he is, but she's not around enough for it to override his growing frustrations.) The only reason Tony tolerates it from Obie is because it balanced the scale on which Howard sat by the other end.

"So?"

" _So?!_ I have to guide it along, smooth things over!" he says, exasperated yet still smiling for Tony's well being. "I'm going to get it to a stable place, and that's where you step in."

"As CEO," Tony says.

Ferrilia flutters down from his shoulder and lands in his hands by his lap. She circles around his palm before nesting herself amidst his fingers.

Obie nods.

"Great. I _totally_ know how to run a company."

"Your dad taught you a lot." Tony sneers at this and searches for the window. Two emotions rise in tandem. Resentment and grief, somehow, can exist simultaneously in one soul. It does a number on smudging up his life's lenses. "And I'll be there holding your hand."

"Hopefully not literally," Tony says and manages a smirk for his godfather.

"If that's how you want it." Obie shifts so he ends up facing Tony even more. His jackal stands to attention. His eyes are taken by the bluebird in Tony's hand. "Are you getting accustomed to her solidified form?"

"It's been a few years, Obie," says Tony. "Ferr and I are great."

Obie holds his hands up in a sort of surrender, but it is the kind of surrender adults do so as to not to hurt the child's feelings. Insincere.

"I'm just saying, it took about five years for me to let go of the sudden inability to change form," he says. He reaches over, and Tony sees the edge of his breath ruffle Ferrilia's feathers. She shivers. Tony's fingers tense around her.

He sees Obie's hand reach out. With a second, his fingers brush her feathers, and Tony rips his hands away from the man. He pulls Ferrilia close and tenses, unsure if he'd just imagined a spike spearing his heart or if it really occurred.

When the pain fades, Tony sees that Obie is standing up. He is staring down at him, jackal at his side. Tony clenches his teeth in hopes the pressure will keep the shivers running up his spine a secret. His heart aches like the muscle fibres themselves are stretching. He pulls Ferrilia close to his heart, wishing there is any way to pull her _closer_. To bring her inside him.

He doesn't want to, but he lifts his head to Obie. He is smiling like nothing happened. He is regarding Tony like… like a doctor would a lab rat.

Tony's breathing freezes. He feels gross. He shakes, _violated_. He tugs his knees close to his chest – a barrier holding Ferrilia in – and wishes to ' _Something'_ he could tear his gaze away.

He can't. The ice of Obie's eyes is the only comfort he's going to get.

"I'll go make us some dinner," he says calmly, and he and his jackal leave.

_Us._

Tony stares at the tops of his thighs and shivers.


End file.
